Adjustable shelf/tray and anesthesia screen

ABSTRACT

An adjustable instrument shelf or tray and anesthesia screen for use in surgical operating rooms.  
     An auxiliary tray that can be attached to existing operating room beds to provide a level place to lay instrumentation without danger of harming a draped patient and while at the same time, allowing patient access and monitoring for the anesthesia staff.  
     The vertical position of the tray can be adjusted to accommodate various body types. Normal draping and draping techniques can be used.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of the filing of Provisional Application Serial No. 60/331,281, entitled “adjustable shelf/tray and anesthesia screen”, filed on Nov. 13, 2001 and the specification thereof is incorporated herein by reference.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

[0002] Not applicable.

SEQUENCE LISTING

[0003] Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to surgical operating room beds, and specifically to an elevated instrument shelf/tray and anesthesia screen to promote safe placement of surgical instrumentation or tools directly above a draped patient while optimizing the view of the patient for anesthesia monitoring and access.

[0005] During surgery, surgeons use numerous surgical instruments, which need to be placed on a sterile field but readily available. In many cases instruments are placed on the sterile drape covering the patent's body. Injury to patients can result from this practice. Current anesthesia screens allow for exposing the patient for monitoring but do not address the need for a level surface under the drape for placement of instruments/tools during the surgical procedure. Against the foregoing background, the present invention was developed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION AND DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The invention relates to an elevated shelf/tray and anesthesia screen that can be attached to existing operating room beds to provide sterile space which instruments may be placed for access during surgery. The shelf/tray is located directly above the patient and can be raised or lowered vertically.

[0007] Objects, advantages and novel features and further scope of applicability of the present invention will be set forth in part in the detailed description below, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0008] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and form a part of the specifications, illustrate embodiments of the present invention and together with the description serve to explain the principals of the invention. The drawings are only for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the invention. In the drawings:

[0009]FIG. 1 is a perspective front view of the adjustable instrument shelf/tray and anesthesia screen.

[0010]FIG. 2 is side view of apparatus

[0011] Currently surgical operating tables are a standardized width; however, wider and sturdier operating beds are being introduced to accommodate the larger patient. The present invention can be modified to match the wider tables. Although the invention has been described in detail with a particular reference to these preferred dimensions, variations and modifications of the present invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications and equivalents. The entire disclosures of all references, applications, patients, and publications cited are hereby incorporated by reference.

[0012] While there have been described above what are at present believed to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative, and not restrictive. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An auxiliary shelf/tray apparatus for use within an operating room, said auxiliary shelf/tray apparatus comprising: A pair of support legs (1), each said leg having an upper and a lower end. A planar shelf/tray (2) extending between said upper ends of said shelf/tray legs; said support legs to be constructed to slide through normal side rail clamps provided with operating room tables. An apparatus wherein a vertical flare at the distal end of the shelf/tray from the support legs allows patient access by anesthesia staff for monitoring. An apparatus further comprising a second vertical flare on the far distal end of the shelf/tray from the support legs to allow fitting apparatus perpendicular to a wall for storage by hanging through the centrally located aperture. 